Penn Manor
home appeal Lancaster County | Spring 2021
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MARCH 24, 2021
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LVII • NO 48
Mitzvah Moms Give Back BY CATHY MOLITORIS
nspired by a desire to give back, two local moms have created a group to help others. Mitzvah Moms was created by Gina Krouse of Lampeter and Gena Harting of Strasburg in the fall of 2020. Initially, the pair focused on collecting items for the homeless, but they then shifted their mission to helping people affected by COVID-19. “COVID started hitting close to home,” Harting said. “We knew someone at our synagogue who got sick, so we put together a basket for them. Then, someone in my moms’ group was affected. We started tossing around the idea of creating a group called Mitzvah Moms because it sounded cute and also because we thought there might be other people who would like to do this with us.” The pair created a Facebook group and soon had almost 100 members. “Mitzvah” is a Hebrew word that means “good deed.” The friends use their Facebook group to create gift baskets to give to people affected by COVID-19. “The baskets include a new, soft blanket and self-care products to help with decongestion,” Krouse noted. “They also have snacks because everybody loves food. It’s a basket of comfort items. We wanted to focus on the comfort, warmth and support.” Baskets are catered to the individual, and all recipients are kept as confidential as possible, she stated, adding, “We ask for some basic information about the person receiving the basket ... so they get a basket that really fits their needs and wants.” Mitzvah Moms took off quickly as word spread through the friends’ network as well as their synagogue, Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster. “Our rabbi is involved with the Interfaith Coalition in Lancaster, and we asked him if he would con-
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Reaching Out To Support Grieving Parents Ministry Looks To Expand Offerings BY ANN MEAD ASH
BASIS, a Christian support group for grieving parents, is currently operating in six locations in Lebanon, Chester, and Lancaster counties and the state of Delaware. The decades-old ministry is part of Handi-Vangelism Ministries International in Ephrata. BASIS stands for Brothers And Sisters In Support, and the ministry provides resources, educational workshops, structured gatherings, and more for bereaved couples and single parents. In July of 2020, Dan Steinman, who is now a BASIS ministry assistant, retired from his job as a maintenance mechanic to become a representative for the ministry. Mitzvah Moms have a mission to help others, delivering gift baskets to people affected by COVID-19. Helping to spread the love are (back row, from left) Josiah Krouse, Gina Krouse, Gena Harting, (front row) Elaine Krouse, Ryder Harting and William Krouse.
Harting and Krouse, who have sider spreading the word among other congregation leaders and four children among them and passing names our way,” Krouse homeschool their kids, said Mitzvah Moms has offered a way to set an explained. example for their The women said families while also donations of items “We’re already making a difference for baskets and monetary gifts have brainstorming ideas in their community. been overwhelming, for our next pro- They have been Harting pleasantly surprised and in fact, they jects,” currently have more noted. “We are by the number of donations than peo- looking at the people who have ple to receive them. longevity of Mitzvah offered to help with “It’s a good problem Moms and continu- their project. “The purpose for to have,” Harting this goes way stated. “We’re fac- ing to give back.” beyond our children ing the challenge of trying to reach out and identify and giving from ourselves,” more people who would like a Krouse said. “There are so many people out there who want to help basket.”
and want to show their love for their community.” Although they are currently focused on the pandemic, the pair said they plan to continue supporting others once COVID-19 is gone. “We’re already brainstorming ideas for our next projects,” Harting noted. “ We are looking at the longevity of Mitzvah Moms and continuing to give back.” The group is seeking both volunteers to help deliver baskets as well as nominations for recipients of baskets. For more information on Mitzvah Moms, readers may email mitzvahmomsrock@gmail.com, search for “Mitzvah Moms” on Facebook or visit https://mitzvah momsrock.weebly.com/.
See BASIS pg 5
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Meals On Wheels Sets Fundraiser . . . . . . . .2 Little Hands, Big Plans Sets Motorcycle Ride, Kids Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Youth To Exhibit Art In April . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Business Directory . . . . . .6 House Of Worship . . . . . .11 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . .12
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